For many years, manufacturers have used plastic bags to package a wide variety of products. In some industries, it is desirable to provide a plastic bag that can be repetitively opened and sealed by the consumer. For example, bread is often enclosed in a plastic bag that is bound with a twist-tie. The twist-tie closure allows the consumer to open and close the bag multiple times, thereby extending the use of the bag for the life of the product.
Although twist-ties are favored for their inexpensive cost, competing closure mechanisms have also been employed. For example, plastic lock-tabs are frequently used to close plastic bags containing perishable bakery items. Lock-tabs are easy to apply and offer the packager a surface upon which information can be printed. While generally acceptable, lock-tabs are relatively expensive. As an alternative, manufacturers have employed tape closure systems in which the neck of the bag is captured by a piece of one-sided tape. Tape closure systems offer the cost benefits of twist-ties and the ability to print information on the closure provided by lock-tabs.
Prior art tape closure systems function by applying a preset amount of tape to the neck of the bag. In these systems, changes in the diameter of the bag neck tend to create variations in the “legs” of the tape that extend from the neck. Variations in the lengths of the tape legs increase the difficulty of printing information on the tape and may present problems during use by the consumer. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved tape closure system that overcomes these deficiencies of the prior art.